How to Make Small Talk Less Awkward I hate small talk. At least, I used to. In social interactions, I used to plaster on a fake smile, fumble my way through uncomfortable questions and answers, and secretly wish I could be shoving toothpicks up my fingernails...
7 Essential Ingredients for Honest Conversations Obviously, there are actually only two truly essential ingredients for an honest conversation: Have a conversation. Be honest. But being honest is a bit complicated, isn’t it? If your experience is anything like...
How to Turn Fight-or-Flight into Confidence You’re in front of a group, presenting, when a heckler throws out a question. You don’t know the answer. You’re not sure there is an answer. That’s obviously not the point—this is an attack! Which of the following...
Say More with Less I’m reading a book called Smart Brevity: The Power of Saying More with Less which, ironically, uses an astounding number of words to say, “Use fewer words.” My friend recommended it to me, probably because I am a wordy writer. Why use 7 words...
3 Ways to Use Your Voice Effectively When you speak, others may hear and notice what you say, but not nearly as much as how you say it. The way you use your voice can and does convey an astounding array of emotions and traits. It holds the key to getting and...
The 4 Components of Belonging “Everyone here looks down on me.” Over a Zoom coaching call, the executive assistant at a large global corporation hunched over and looked downward, hugging herself. “I’m not a city girl. I come from a very small rural town and I...
